Training Day
by Beachhead30
Summary: Hostage rescue mission with the Joe SEAL team.


Training Day  
  
0230 hours- North Pacific, present day  
  
Four black shapes knifed through the water towards a UN-sponsored offshore research platform. The lead swimmer motioned the team to halt, and kicked towards the surface, slowly breaking the water. He quickly scanned his surroundings, re-orienting himself to the target. The swimmer dove back down and re-joined his team, adjusting his approach to the target before moving out again. The soldier known to his teammates as Torpedo estimated they had another 500 yards to cover before they reached their objective.  
  
He ran through the op in his mind again, and was rewarded with a cold ball of ice in his gut. He had Shipwreck and Wet Suit on this mission, as well as a new guy code-named Depth Charge. Normally he wouldn't be bothered by the newbie, but with the way 'Wreck and Wet Suit were riding him on the sub Torpedo was not sure how the soldier would react when it came down to crunch time.  
  
Would he try to be the hero, or would he freeze up and be worthless? Either way, that variable was something that Torpedo would rather not have to deal with on an op like this one. Orders are orders, however, and the veteran SEAL just had to hope that Depth Charge's training would take over and see him through. Hostage rescue was dicey at the best of times, but going into one like this, with no back-up, just four men facing 15 or more heavily-armed Tangos was not the place for an FNG in Torpedo's professional opinion. Adding to the odds already stacked against them was the fact that the President's wife and son were on the platform for a goodwill visit.  
  
The briefing indicated the Tangos were Russian, and SIGINT confirmed the ID of the man in charge, Oleg Radislokov. Oleg was wanted in several countries for countless terrorist acts, the last of which claimed the lives of 462 men, women, and children in a bombing in Prague. Radislokov was widely thought to be an ultra-nationalist who would stop at nothing to re- unite the Soviet Union and restore it to its former glory. His failed bid for the Presidency in 1998 only fueled his rage, and set off a string of catastrophes worldwide, catapulting him to number one on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list. Now he held the President of the United States' family, and things were not looking good.  
  
Torpedo shunted those thoughts aside and re-ran the team's plan of attack through his mind, looking for any flaws or inconsistencies. The biggest challenge would be getting on the platform without being compromised. It was a long climb up, around 110 feet or so, and the slightest sound could cause a sentry to look over the edge and spot them. There was no place to hide on the ascent, so their point of entry would have to be chosen very carefully.  
  
The second problem would be locating the hostages. Odds were they were being held in the central housing area, as that was the biggest building on the rig, but that was no guarantee. There were so many variables on an op like this, and Torpedo's mind was trying to carefully dissect each possible scenario and outcome. He was so wrapped up in his thought processes that the gentle tap on his shoulder startled him. It was Depth Charge, and evidently he'd seen something amiss in the water.  
  
Torpedo followed Depth Charge's outstretched arm and immediately saw what caused the younger man to pull him up short. Cleverly concealed in the risers was a fine network of cables, almost invisible in the nighttime conditions. Torpedo's gaze ran the length of the wiring, checking for contact points and looking for what the web-work was attached to. At the end of the lowest wire, he spotted a small luminescent readout marked with Cyrillic characters.  
  
He motioned his team over, singling out Shipwreck and motioning for him to take a closer look at the device. 'Wreck swam over to the display and steadied himself against the riser for added support. Just as he was about to turn back to the team, something rammed into him from behind with enough force to remove his face mask and rip the rebreather out of his mouth. He momentarily forgot where he was and tried to draw a breath, choking on the cold, salty water. The man's grip tightened around his chest, and Shipwreck knew he was in a bad way.  
  
Gathering his wits about him, he looked to his team for help, only to find them struggling with their own battles. Wet Suit looked to be having fun with his foe, waving his Ocean Master Titanium dive knife back and forth in lazy arcs before darting in and plunging the blade hilt-deep in the man's sternum. Pulling his blade free, Wet Suit propelled himself towards Shipwreck with a powerful kick.  
  
By this time, Shipwreck had freed one of his arms and was able to reach down and grasp the other man's crotch in an effort to break his grip. Squeezing relentlessly, 'Wreck could hear the other man whimper in agony, and the hold around his torso was lessened. He took advantage of the man's incapacity, grabbing the diver's throat and crushing his larynx in a powerful grip. With a gurgle, the life drained from the man's eyes and he sank like a stone.  
  
Depth Charge had locked onto his attacker's back and was attempting to move into position for a choke hold. He was struggling to do so one-handed, as his right hand was locked on the other man's wrist, keeping a dive knife at bay. Once he was in position, he levered his thick left arm under the terrorist's chin. As his grip began to tighten, Wet Suit could see the man's eyes bulging out of his head. In a froth of bloody bubbles, the tango breathed his last. Depth Charge let the man go, watching him sink into the depths.  
  
The only man left was paired off against Torpedo, who was bleeding heavily from his left forearm. The other three SEALs converged on their team leader just in time to see a vicious thrust which pierced the heavy neoprene wetsuit just above the man's Adam's apple. With a quick twist, Torpedo ripped the man's throat clean out, turning away and rising towards the surface even as his blade was clearing the obstacle.  
  
His arm burned as if it was on fire, but he ignored the pain and continued on. He slowed as he reached the surface, trying to ascertain his whereabouts before breaking clear of the water. He was satisfied of the team's position, which was slightly under the helipad extension on the platform, safely out of sight of anyone above, unless they bent all the way over the side and looked underneath the rig.  
  
Torpedo motioned his team to spread out and listen for any signs of activity, fearing that the battle below may have compromised the rescue attempt. His team motioned the all clear to him, and he moved them into position for the first phase of the assault. The climb up was where his boys were at their most vulnerable, as they would be forced to ascend a rope ladder one by one, that only after the first man made it up to drop the ladder down. The tricky part was gaining the platform. If your movements weren't precise, or that sentry just happened to turn in your direction as your legs were swinging over the rail, you were screwed.  
  
Torpedo knew this better than anyone, which is why he was the first man out of the water. As he clambered up the steel support leg he lost his footing, causing his weapon to clang loudly against the frame. SHIT, he thought, freezing in place. He clamped down on his rifle to eliminate it from swinging into the support again.  
  
"??? ???????? ?????? (What's that? translated from Russian)" came a terse whisper.  
  
"?????? ???????? ?????. ????????????. (Just a door opening. Relax.)," was the reply.  
  
Torpedo waited until he heard the footsteps recede and resumed climbing. As he neared the rail he hesitated. Now for the moment of truth, he thought before he carefully pulled himself up and over. As his feet hit the deck, he brought his suppressed MP-5 to bear, scanning the area for the sentries he heard moments earlier. Satisfied he was in the clear he uncoiled the rope and fastened the hook to the railing, bracing it with his foot.  
  
As soon as the rope touched the water, Depth Charge was pulling himself up, eager to get out of the water and into the action. Shipwreck was next, followed by Wet Suit. Once all four men were on the platform and the rope was stowed away, Torpedo motioned the group to move out. Using hand signals, he sent Depth Charge and Shipwreck to check the southeast corner of the rig, where the main housing units were. He and Wet Suit proceeded to the northwest corner, where the labs and the mess hall were located. If the hostages were not in either location, the teams would sweep around in a circular pattern, eventually meeting outside the entertainment center located directly in the center of the platform.  
  
As Torpedo and Wet Suit crept towards the research area, the acrid smell of tobacco assaulted their nostrils. Both men stopped abruptly, eyes scanning their surroundings for the tell-tale cherry glow which would reveal the sentry's position. Wet Suit spotted the man first, tapping Torpedo on the shoulder and pointing up and to the right.  
  
He found the man standing on a slightly elevated cargo area. He dropped into a crouch and moved closer to the office building they had just passed, leaning against the door. Knowing that a whisper could carry as far as normal tones in the quiet night air, he placed his mouth right on Wet Suit's ear before whispering, "He needs to be dropped quietly. You have three minutes." Grinning under the black face paint, Wet Suit nodded enthusiastically and moved out, drawing his Ocean Master as he did.  
  
Torpedo shook his head and smiled, knowing Wet Suit would get the job done inside of two minutes. As he was checking his watch, he heard the handle on the door he was leaning against rattle as it began to turn. He spun around quickly on the balls of his feet, ready to spring forward and take down whoever exited the building. As the door swung open to reveal a large, armed Russian, Torpedo burst into motion.  
  
He punched the larger man in the solar plexus, all his breath coming out in a whoosh of expelled air. As the man gasped for breath, unable to cry out, Torpedo delivered a back-heel kick to the man's temple which propelled him into the steel doorframe. There was a sickening crunch of vertebrae, and the Russian slid to the ground, his head lolling at an unnatural angle. Torpedo quickly dragged the sentry into the office, pulling the door closed behind him. Just as he got inside, the Russian's radio crackled and a disembodied voice said, "Sergei, ?????? ???? ????????? (what is your position)?"  
  
Torpedo quickly picked up the radio and growled "???????? ????? ???????? (Western offices cleared)," in reply. He dropped the radio and moved back out through the door, satisfied the sentry was dead. He looked over to where the careless sentry had been positioned, only to see Wet Suit half- hidden in the shadows, checking his watch. He made his way over to the larger SEAL, smiling to himself as they moved out in search of the hostages.  
  
Shipwreck carefully led the way towards the southeast corner of the rig, scanning his surroundings as they went along. He was chafing at the fact that Torpedo saddled him with the FNG, but there was not much he could do now. He just hoped that the kid would do his job and cover his back. About halfway to their objective, Shipwreck heard footsteps approaching. Both soldiers went prone behind a stack of wooden pallets, drawing their weapons as they went.  
  
The sentry rounded the corner and started towards the stacked pallets. Depth Charge raised his suppressed MP-5 and took aim, ready to drop the man if he and Ship were compromised. The Russian stopped in front of the pallets, muttered something under his breath, and turned around to go back the way he came. Both SEALs realized they were holding their breath, and let it out in a controlled exhale. Shipwreck looked over at the new kid and scowled fiercely. Placing his mouth on Depth Charge's ear, he whispered "I'da shot the bastard. Let's hope you don't freeze up like that again." And just like that, Shipwreck was on his feet and moving back towards the corner the sentry just rounded.  
  
Depth Charge stared daggers at the older man's back, then jumped to his feet and chased after him. As he neared the corner, he heard a dull THUD then the sound of a body hitting the deck. Easing his head around the corner, he saw Shipwreck's feet protruding out from behind some barrels, and he noticed the same sentry standing over the motionless soldier. The Russian appeared to be reaching for his radio to alert the platform.  
  
Whipping his MP-5 into position, Depth Charge snapped off a three-round burst that pulped the sentry's head. The man collapsed beside the prone form of Shipwreck. Depth Charge crossed the ground quickly, fearing the harsh cough of the suppressed weapon may have been noticed. He checked Shipwreck's pulse and found it to be strong and regular. Reaching into his medical pack, he retrieved some smelling salts, broke the container open and waved them under 'Wreck's nose.  
  
The old sailor's eyes snapped open and he struggled to cry out as Depth Charge's hand clamped over his mouth. Once he took stock of the situation and saw Depth Charge's finger over his lips motioning for silence, Shipwreck's eyes softened and he nodded in acknowledgement. Depth Charge released his grip of the other man's mouth, and Shipwreck sat up, rubbing at the goose egg rising just behind his left ear. As he did so, he noticed the dead sentry sprawled out next to him and the brains and blood which spattered his gear. Depth Charge just grinned at him, which pissed the older man off even more.  
  
Shipwreck roughly shouldered past the younger man, resuming his place at point. Depth Charge couldn't help but notice how much more cautious his leader was being, and he stifled a chuckle at the last moment. Shaking his head in resignation, he followed along behind Shipwreck, who was flitting from shadow to shadow on his approach to the housing area.  
  
Shipwreck's closed fist shot up into the air, and then his hand opened and mimed a downward motion, signaling Depth Charge to stop and get down. As he complied with the order, he saw what caused Shipwreck to freeze. Standing not 20 yards from them was the man they were here after: Oleg Radislokov. He held a young boy by the arm and was shouting at him in heavily accented English.  
  
"Your father cares nothing for you! He told me I could throw you off this platform if you disobeyed me, do you understand that?" he screamed at the petrified boy. The child was crying hysterically, but maintained the presence of mind to nod his head in agreement.  
  
"Good. Now get in there with your whore of a mother," Oleg snarled, shoving the child through the open door. The boy stumbled over the deck plates and was rewarded with a boot to the rear as Oleg laughed cruelly. "Phone!" he commanded the closest sentry. The man stepped forward and handed his leader a small cellular phone. Radislokov hit a speed dial and started speaking in rapid-fire Russian at the person on the other end of the line.  
  
Depth Charge snuck forward, resting his hand on Shipwreck's shoulder. The man was as tense as a coiled spring, and he was about to make a huge mistake by exposing their position unnecessarily. Using the pre-arranged code from their briefing, Depth Charge double-clicked his throat mike, letting the rest of the team know the hostages had been located.  
  
Torpedo and Wet Suit were about to enter the laboratory building when they heard the signal over the radio. The two men looked at each other and nodded, Torpedo taking point. Hopefully Shipwreck would keep his cool and wait for back-up. He'd been very agitated in the briefing, and even though the orders were to bring Radislokov back alive, Torpedo couldn't be too sure the headstrong sailor would follow that particular order. If there was one thing that set the salty dog off, it was people harming children. With Radislokov's track record, it did not bode well for him that this particular Joe was on the mission.  
  
Considering that the child involved in this particular op was the son of the Commander-in-Chief just made the situation that much worse. Shipwreck's temper was legendary among the Joes, and it took all the man had to keep it in check during the briefing. Torpedo could swear he heard the older sailor muttering "If that bastard gets in my sights." several times during and after the brief, but he hoped Ship was professional enough to realize the wealth of information that could be obtained if they were to take Oleg alive.  
  
Torpedo was trying not to race across the open deck and expose both himself and Wet Suit to enemy fire, but the urge to get his team back together and accomplish his mission was trying to get the better of him. He had to force himself to stick to the shadows and slow down. They had found the hostages, and now they had to get them out without losing a single one. He knew from past experience that was easier said than done, and although he had never dealt with an animal like Radislokov, he was confident in his team's ability to get the job done.  
  
He held his right fist in the air and motioned Wet Suit to get down about halfway across the platform. He keyed the throat mike and in a low whisper said, "We're coming up on the housing area. What's your position?"  
  
Shipwreck answered, "Twenty yards from the front door."  
  
"Be there in two," Torpedo said. He rose up, not bothering to check if Wet Suit was following. He knew the big SEAL would be right on his heels when they reached the other pair. They circled around the building, stepping over the headless mess that used to be a Russian sentry, and moments later re-joined their teammates. Placing his mouth right on Torpedo's ear, Shipwreck whispered "Visual confirmation on Oleg and the President's boy. There are two grunts outside the door with AKs, and no telling how many inside with the hostages. What's the plan?"  
  
Torpedo digested the information, looking over Shipwreck's shoulder and spotting the guards. He turned back to the older sailor, pulling him close and whispering, "Let's see if we can get around the back and do a bit of visual recon." With that he began edging back the way they had come, circling around to the southern edge of the platform. They reached the target building quickly, not spotting any sentries aside from the two posted by the door.  
  
Torpedo eased around the back of the housing unit, carefully picking his way through the darkness. He passed the first two banks of dark windows, slowly approaching the lit third set. As he crept up to the small pane of glass, he heard voices shouting in Russian and English. He could not make out what was being said, but he could clearly hear the strong, protective tones of a mother defending her young. He then heard heavy boots cross the room and a dull THWACK of flesh on flesh.  
  
The woman's voice cried out in pain and shock, and Torpedo ground his teeth in anger. They needed to get in and end this fast. He raised his head ever so slowly, the black watch cap and face paint making him all but invisible to those in the room. What he saw before him made his stomach turn. The hostages were all huddled in one corner, most of them bleeding from various wounds, a few of the women struggling to keep themselves covered in their ripped clothing. It was obvious that Oleg and his dogs had had some fun with these women, and several of them were laughing as Oleg stood over the First Lady and slapped her again.  
  
He counted 5 tangos in this room, Oleg and four lackeys. Coupled with the two outside and the seven his team had already disposed of, that left one man unaccounted for. He was wondering where the last man could be when he saw the front door burst open and one of the sentries from out front rush in.  
  
"Misha ???????? ??????? (is dead)!" the man shouted. Oleg spun around, barking orders at his soldiers in Russian. Two of the four soldiers in the room ran out with the sentry, racing towards where Misha had been found. The other two took up positions just inside the door, one covering the entrance, the other covering the hostages. Torpedo knew the second man would spray the hostages as soon as anyone entered the door. Oleg paced the room like a caged animal, cursing in Russian and waving his gun about. The First Lady shielded her son with her body, and Torpedo applauded the woman's courage.  
  
Oleg grabbed her by the hair and flung her across the room. He snatched the child up by his coat and pressed the muzzle of his gun to the boy's temple. The women in the room screamed in terror, fearing the worst was about to happen. Torpedo looked at his men, who were all chomping at the bit to get a piece of the Russians. He dropped down from the window and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the images of the petrified boy with the Makarov pressed to his head.  
  
When he opened his eyes again, his team was looking at him expectantly. He motioned Wet Suit to proceed to the northern corner of the building. Wet Suit slid around the other three men and moved out towards his objective, checking to ensure the safety on his M-4 carbine was off and ensuring a round was in the breech of his M-203 grenade launcher.  
  
Torpedo signaled Shipwreck and Depth Charge to go back the way they had come. Both men nodded their agreement and moved out, Depth Charge bringing his MP-5 to bear, Shipwreck shouldering his UMP-45. Torpedo moved back towards the unlit southeast corner of the building, waiting for the shooting to commence. Within moments he heard the staccato bark of Wet Suit's M-4 and the screams of injured Russians.  
  
Shortly thereafter the UMP-45 chattered to life, and the crump of fragmentation grenades going off lit the night sky. Using the sounds of the firefight to cover his entry, he smashed the pane of glass with the butt of his MP-5. He dove through the window, quickly bringing his weapon to bear. He heard screams from inside the building, and the sound of running footsteps headed for the front door.  
  
He cracked the door open for a view of the hallway, and saw the hostages pressing towards the front door. The Russians were screaming at the top of their lungs, trying to regain control of the situation. Oleg stalked into view, dragging the President's son by the coat, the Makarov still pressed to his temple. Torpedo drew a bead on the terrorist leader's head and was about to pull the trigger when the First Lady stepped in between him and the target. She was pummeling Oleg with her fists, and he casually backhanded her to the floor, smashing two of her teeth with the barrel of the gun.  
  
"MOM!" Cody screamed.  
  
"Shut up boy, if you want to live," Oleg snapped. "Come!" Radislokov continued to drag the boy towards the door and outside. Once Torpedo was sure the hall was clear, he opened the door fully and stepped into the corridor. He quietly edged his way towards the front door, checking to make sure the sentries who had been posted inside were no longer there.  
  
He finally reached the First Lady, who was sobbing uncontrollably. Torpedo knelt down and shook the woman gently, speaking in soft, soothing tones to bring her back to reality. "It's going to be okay, ma'am. We've been sent to rescue you and your son, as well as all the other people on this platform. Are you okay?" Torpedo asked.  
  
She finally looked up at the soldier and shrank away in fear. He looked absolutely terrifying in his black face paint and watch cap, and the way he was bristling with weapons was enough to make anyone take pause. "Who are you?" she asked.  
  
"I'm one of the good guys ma'am. Torpedo from G.I. Joe," he replied as he held out his hand to help her up. She took the proffered limb and allowed herself to be hauled to her feet. "I need you to stay here while I go clean up this mess," he said. "I'll be right back." He ushered her into one of the rooms in the front of the building and told her to lock the door.  
  
He moved to the door and heard Oleg shout, "THROW DOWN YOUR WEAPONS AND COME OUT NOW! I WILL KILL THE BOY IF YOU DO NOT COMPLY WITHIN ONE MINUTE!"  
  
Peering from the doorway, Torpedo was able to spot Radislokov standing in the middle of the platform, using the boy as a human shield. He also saw his team converging on the site, weapons up and ready. He could see Shipwreck's body tense as he took in the situation, and the war within the soldier was plainly visible on his face. He was rapidly approaching the boiling point, and there was no pulling him back now. Oleg had not seen him yet, but it was only a matter of moments now.  
  
Torpedo keyed his throat mike and said, "Stand down, soldiers." Shipwreck was still moving forward, his eyes locked on the back of Oleg's head. "I said STAND DOWN!" Torpedo barked. Shipwreck still ignored the direct order, closing to within ten yards of his quarry. Somehow Oleg sensed his presence and spun around, the Makarov pressed deeply into Cody's temple. The whimper was audible even from where Torpedo was standing thirty yards away.  
  
At that moment, Depth Charge dove for the boy, crashing into him and wrenching him from the terrorist leader's grip. As he rolled on top of the boy, Oleg turned and fired three shots, two of which tore into Depth Charge's back. He grunted under the impact but managed to keep his body between Oleg and Cody. There was no need however, as now that the hostage was removed from the situation, Wet Suit and Shipwreck were free to open fire. As both men opened up, Torpedo was screaming "CEASE FIRE! CEASE FIRE! CEASE FIRE!" to no avail.  
  
Oleg was ripped almost in two by the combined might of the M-4 and the UMP- 45, and the SEALs did not stop firing until their clips ran dry. Wet Suit and Shipwreck ran towards Depth Charge, who was still curled in a protective shield around Cody. There was a pool of blood underneath the Joe, and the other two SEALs expected the worst. Rolling the soldier over, they found Cody wide-eyed and in shock, his mouth moving but no words coming out.  
  
Shipwreck gave the boy a cursory once-over to make sure there were no bullet wounds while Wet Suit put compresses on Depth Charge's shoulder and side to stop the blood flow. He looked towards the doorway where Torpedo still stood and gave a thumbs-up. The kid was going to make it. Torpedo nodded and turned to let the First Lady know her son was okay.  
  
When she unlocked the door it was evident that she had regained her composure and was ready to receive whatever news he had to offer. Torpedo entered the room and knelt by the First Lady, gazing into her eyes. What an incredibly strong woman, the soldier thought. She stared back at him, and he could see her fighting back the tears. "It's over, ma'am," he said simply. "Cody's safe and all the terrorists are dead."  
  
She nodded, unable to say anything, then lurched forward awkwardly and wrapped the big SEAL in an embrace. "Thank you for saving my son," she whispered between sobs. She pulled herself away from the soldier and wiped her eyes. "May I go see him now?" she asked.  
  
"Right this way, ma'am," Torpedo said as he rose to his feet. "I'm going to have to tell you he's in a state of shock and may not recognize you right away. It will pass soon, and he'll be back to normal. Kids are resilient that way."  
  
She nodded her understanding and let the Joe lead her out of the housing unit and over to where Shipwreck was talking softly to Cody. He had convinced the youngster to eat a candy bar, and there was a ghost of a smile on the boy's face as Shipwreck rambled on about life with the Joes.  
  
"You shoulda seen this one time, we were surrounded by COBRAs and." he broke off as Cody darted away, running into his mother's open arms. "Maybe later," he lamented, frowning. "And to think that's one of my favorite stories."  
  
Torpedo grinned at Shipwreck as he slapped him on the back. "So the kid's gonna make it, eh?" Torpedo laughed.  
  
"Torpedo, you shoulda seen the way that kid took down a mook that had the drop on me. That kid saved my life," Shipwreck said. "And then what he did just now? I've seen some crazy stuff in my life, but that was about the ballsiest move EVER!"  
  
"I know," Torpedo said quietly. "I think the kid's gonna fit right in." He walked over to where Wet Suit and Depth Charge were talking and knelt down next to the wounded soldier. "I want to thank you, Nick, for what you did out there. You can be sure Top will hear about this one, brother."  
  
"Yeah. Not bad for a band geek," Wet Suit noted wryly.  
  
Shipwreck added, "Kid that was the bravest stunt I've ever seen. I'm buying you a beer when we get home!"  
  
Nick Langdon, aka Depth Charge, grinned from ear to ear. "Just glad I could help fellas."  
  
Torpedo keyed his throat mike and said, "Swordfish to Kingfisher, we need an evac here at Checkpoint Delta. We have one wounded and 15 dead tangos. Repeat: one wounded and no surviving tangos. Over"  
  
"Copy that, Swordfish. Kingfisher's on the way. See you in fifteen," Wild Bill replied. Torpedo turned to face the former hostages, thinking about how differently this op could have gone down. All in all, the rookie did well. He took a couple of bullets, but he'd live to fight another day. He thought about what he would have done in that situation, and he wasn't sure that he would have reacted the way Depth Charge did.  
  
The thought was still nagging at him as the Tomahawk carried them back to base, and it didn't go away when he woke the next morning. 


End file.
